Elemetnts Of Effective Writing: Aruna B 1

ELEMETNTS OF EFFECTIVE WRITING

aruna b

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GRAMMAR AND USAGE Agreement of subject and verb Ex: here is the file you were looking for why have these letters not been posted? one of the vice-presidents has resigned 

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CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBJECT        

Un/countable nouns Collective nouns Indefinite pronouns Compound subject Words in part or portion Words indicating amount The word number There/it in subject position aruna b

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COUNTABLE NOUNS 

Ex: seventy students are sitting in front of me seventy five chairs are enough Two pairs of clothes are enough for this journey

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UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS uncountable nouns take a singular/plural verb Ex: advice is more easily given than taken the furniture you wish to buy is very expensive

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MORE… 

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The acoustics of the new auditorium are excellent The proceeds of this programme go to local charities Your belongings are in the hotel His goods were stolen in transit

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COLLECTIVE NOUNS 

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refers to a group or collection of people committee, jury, faculty if the group is referred to as a singular noun, then it takes a singular verb if it is referred to in plural, then it takes a plural verb Ex: The committee has/have submitted their report The jury has/have given their verdict

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INDEFINITE PRONOUNS Pronouns that do not refer to any particular person Ex: anybody/anyone everything/another neither/nobody anything/none everybody/someone/somebody 

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EXAMPLES …     

Everybody is entitled to one month’s salary as bonus. Nobody knows what the future has in store for him/her Either of the proposals is acceptable to me Neither of the resolutions moved by us was passed Each of us is required to attend the meeting aruna b

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COMPOUND SUBJECT When a subject contains more than one word but refers to one person, idea or unit Ex: many a student has joined the organisation every clerk and assistant is expected to know typing bread and utter is our sole concern 

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MORE… 

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Neither the chairman nor the members have turned up for the meeting Neither members nor the chairman has turned up for the meeting Either you or he has to finish the work Either he or you have to finish the work aruna b

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WORDS THAT INDICATE PART OR PORTION

Ex: half the job was completed within two days half the jobs were completed within two days two thirds of the employees are in favour of this proposal two thirds of the poll is rotten some of the files are missing some of the money is missing aruna b

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WORDS THAT INDICATE AMOUNT 

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Ten thousand rupees is a lot of money Three miles a day is a good walk Hundreds of people were present at the meeting Thousands of people have gathered to welcome him home

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THE WORD NUMBER preceded by the it takes a singular verb  Preceded by a it takes a plural verb Ex: the number of people who attended the meeting was huge the number of crimes in Delhi is increasing a number of meetings were held to discuss the issue a number of books are missing from the library 

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INTRODUCTORY THERE depends upon the true subject Ex: there are various methods of collecting data there is no need for typing this report 

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INTRODUCTORY IT It always takes a singular verb irrespective of the subject Ex: it is the people who matter in democracy it is the fundamentals that matter 

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QUESTIONS?

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